If photography is your passion, you know that nothing takes the place of education and experience. Pros know how to shoot in any setting or time of day and they get great results with whatever's available. That's why the camera you earn a living with needs to be intuitive enough to stay out of your way. The best cameras will become an extension of you, while giving you the flexibility to make creative decisions.

Canon S95 IS

In the summer of 2010, PhotoShelter surveyed professional photographers to find out if any used "point and shoot" cameras. Out of the 50 plus photographers who responded, 12 routinely use Canon's PowerShot G9 through G11 series in place of their primary DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex camera). The latest evolution of this series is the G12 and Canon's smaller S95 IS has the same sensor and guts with a faster lens. Professional photographer Ken Rockwell believes its super-fast f/2 lens, outstanding light sensor and direct-control setting dials make it the world's best digital pocket camera. It even has sharper video capture than DSLRs and two built-in mics for recording stereo sound. If you do a lot of field photography and need to carry a camera at all times, you can't go wrong here.

Canon Rebel T2i (EOS 550D)

If you're just starting out with a photography business and you need an affordable yet capable professional camera, Canon's Rebel T2i is worth a look. It's the flagship of the Rebel line, with professional features in a compact and lightweight, consumer-friendly body. According to Imaging-Resource.com, Canon's T2i has raised the bar at its price point with its impressive 18 megapixel image quality and ability to capture 1080p HD video with stereo sound at 30 frames per second. CNET Reviews says the T2i has the best image and video capture quality you can get for less than $1,000 and they give it five stars.

Nikon D7000

One of the better DSLRs you can buy is Nikon's D7000. It's a TopTenREVIEWS Silver Award winner and pro photographer Ken Rockwell rates it the best overall DSLR on the market. Other DSLRs do some things better but none do as many things well as the D7000. Its excellent viewfinder and ergonomics, fast and smooth controls and good low light performance make it a professional photographer's dream. It also has a wide range of features and user controls and a durable body with a magnesium alloy top and rear cover. The bottom line is that Nikon's D7000 excels in user-friendliness, so its easy to forget the technology and to focus on the photography.

LEICA M9

LEICA has an impressive history of world-class camera design and the M3 model, from the mid 1950s, is still regarded by many as the best 35mm camera in the world. The M9 brings the latest digital imaging technology to a similar body and it's LEICA's new standard bearer. Pro photographer Ken Rockwell describes it as "the smallest, lightest, highest-quality digital camera ever created by the hand of man." A camera this good isn't for everyone, but for accomplished photographers with the means and ability to take full advantage of it, it doesn't get any better. The M9 is a rangefinder camera, so you look through a separate viewfinder instead of the lens (as you would with a DSLR). Its design makes it half the size and weight of DSLRs but it takes higher quality photos. In fact, you won't find a better camera for in-the-field capture of still subjects.

About the Author

Dan Eash began writing professionally in 1989, with articles in LaHabra's "Daily Star Progress" and the "Fullerton College Magazine." Since then, he's created scripts for doctor and dentist offices and published manuals, help files and a training video. His freelance efforts also include a book. Eash has a Fullerton College Associate of Arts in music/recording production and a Nova Institute multimedia production certificate.